Akpabio Meets Buhari In UK Ahead Defection To APC And Other Interesting Newspaper Headlines Today

Speculations about Senate Minority Leader Godswill Akpabio’s political future has ended. The former Akwa Ibom State governor is set to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to THE NATION, he completed his consultations with leaders of the ruling party at the weekend in London, the United Kingdom where he met with President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on a 10-day vacation. Akpabio yesterday afternoon posted the photo of the meeting on his twitter handle with a line on why he met with the President. He, however, avoided any indication of his likely defection.

Still on the hot topic of defection, it has been alleged that APC is luring Senators with N50m to sack Saraki. The Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) yesterday accused the leadership of the APC of plotting with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, to apply Gestapo methods to forcefully unseat the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, following his defection from the ruling party. It further accused the APC leadership of offering some senators N50 million each to execute the plan. NEW TELEGRAPH, THE GUARDIAN, VANGUARD and DAILY SUN reports that however, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has debunked reports that it had doled out funds to effect Saraki’s impeachment. National Publicity Secretary of R-APC, Prince Kassim Afegbua, who made the accusation yesterday, disclosed that a high-powered meeting of these persons was held at the Maitama residence of the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, last Thursday, where they brainstormed on the possible ways to execute the impeachment plot. Afegbua said that the meeting lasted for three hours and explored both legal and illegal approaches to execute the planned impeachment of Saraki.

Still on the tension between APC and Senate President Bukola Saraki, NIGERIAN TRIBUNE discloses Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana giving the reason why APC can’t demand Saraki’s resignation. Apparently smarting from the public criticism of his stance on the recent gale of defections in the polity, Falana on Sunday, released a comprehensive legal position on the controversial issue rocking the polity. Falana tagged the ruling party opportunistic, lacking in both moral and legal right to seek the ouster of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for dumping it for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

DAILY INDEPENDENT reports; Defections: Tinubu’s Silence Ruffles Buhari’s Camp. The alleged continued silence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, national leader of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), on the gale of defections rocking the party is causing disquiet in the presidency, especially among loyalists of President Muhammadu Buhari. Some of the presidency sources, who spoke with Daily Independent on Thursday, said loyalists of President Buhari are unhappy that Tinubu, who was appointed by the president to head the party’s reconciliation team in February, has not uttered a word since the defections began a fortnight ago with the departure of 14 senators and 37 House of Representatives members to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Kaduna APC defies Oshiomole over Sani, Kano deputy governor resigns heads THE PUNCH. Kano State Deputy Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, on Sunday resigned from office, having been elected on the platform of the ruling, All Progressives Congress. Abubakar resigned his position following hints that 31 members of the state House of Assembly had already signed his impeachment notice, scheduled to be tabled before the House on Monday for deliberations. It should be recalled that Abubakar has been at loggerheads with his boss over some differences bordering on loyalty between the Gandujiyya and Kwankwasiyya groups.

Finally on BUSINESS DAY, World Bank urges FG to spur private investments for growth. The World Bank has urged the Nigerian government to put more energy into attracting private sector investments into the economy and cut down on excessive borrowing. The warning, again on the rising debt is coming as authorities insist that debt levels remain sustainable.